Logo design: 5 tips for working with type

Choosing the right font is an important part of the logo design process – many of the world's recognized brands are word marks, relying entirely on typography to convey their message.

01. Choose your font carefully

As part of a major corporate identity redesign, Google has ditched its distinctive serif logo after 16 years in favor of a clean, modern sans-serif typeface Combined with minimalism, sans-serif typefaces have dominated logo design in recent years. High-profile examples include logo examples from Pentagram for Windows, MasterCard and London University of the Arts.

In 2015, Google changed the old serif logo to a friendlier, more modern, sans-serif logo. But don't let trends dictate the rules: sometimes a serif typeface can be the right choice.

02. Customize and refine your personality

Simplicity in logo design can lead to longevity. Alan Fletcher's lightweight and stylish V&A logo relies on the interaction of characters between V and A

Once in the logo, a typeface can forge connections between letterforms or add a unique twist to match the tone of the brand – one example would be shifting characters at appropriate angles to create a sharp and contrasting look.

Sometimes it is not possible to express the idea of ​​a logo with an existing font, so a handwritten font seems more appropriate for a brand. The most iconic example that has evolved over more than a century is the Coca-Cola logo.

Compared to its perennial rival Pepsi, which has gone through at least seven major iterations, the market leader has virtually the same logo as it did in the late 1800s. If Coca-Cola's designers had thrown away the handwritten font, as Pepsi did in the 1960s, it would have caused a lot of buzz.

The bottom line is simple: Create a truly unique, custom illustrated typeface and you will have powerful brand awareness with genuine durability.

04. Explore Letter Combinations in Logo Design

Designers place monograms on hotel robes and wedding invitations. With the right initials, designers can create a truly exemplary example of a simple yet effective logo.

Existing examples of logos in the fashion industry are proof of this – Coco Chanel and Yves St Laurent.

Sometimes even the simplest typing can reveal random “coincidences” that, if developed correctly, can lead to ingenious twists and turns. One classic example is Landor's FedEx badge, a hidden arrow between the letter “e” and the letter “x,” making a simple sans serif logo toast to logo design critics around the world.

05. Take complete control of typography

If your client can afford to work with a specialized type design agency, then your work is destined to be successful. Typography can become the center of a brand's personality and permeate all communications.

Two agencies have worked for brands such as Nokia, Lush, Rio 2016, Sainsbury's, ITV, and Lloyds. Typography defines a brand's tone of voice by its emotional quality.